I'm Not Mad!
by MonsterKell
Summary: Susan Valenti is about to go on trial when she's taken away to a secluded sanitarium in the mountains. Doctors plan to test her on the Morphogenic Engine when odd things begin to happen. Now Susan has to fight her way out of the asylum with only her wits as a weapon. Will she be able to escape with her sanity in tact?
1. Chapter 1

Susan watched the doctors through her eyelashes as they passed her cell. This was the second time today they'd come to the Female Ward to collect some poor sap. She stared curiously as they stopped at the cell next to hers. The cell belonged to a woman who sat in the corner, rocking back and forth and muttering to herself. Her red hair was a ratty mess and the dark under her eyes made it obvious the woman didn't sleep. But Susan didn't care, honestly. She grew bored as they practically dragged the woman out of her cell and down the hallway, screaming the whole way.

This had been happening ever since she'd arrived at the secluded asylum a few weeks ago. Doctors would hurry buy, pulling one insane lady after the next down that hallway. She began to notice quickly that they never returned. The first day she'd screamed her voice out as they passed.

"I DON'T BELONG HERE!" she screeched at them. "I'M NOT MAD, THERE'S BEEN A MISTAKE!" Yet the doctors never paid her any mind. Eventually, she'd given up trying to convince them. Hell, who'd believe her here anyway? She much preferred jail to this place, at least there had been sane people to talk to.

Snorting, Susan went back to staring at the ceiling. By now she'd become accustomed to the random din of the cell block. But she was surprised. For a female ward, there weren't many patients, even before the doctors took some away. All she could do was sleep and eat. Closing her eyes, she let the unsettling sounds drift her into a troubled sleep.

* * *

"Get up!"

Susan practically jumped as she felt something jab her ribs. Sitting up, she wasn't surprised to find the group of doctors standing in front of her cot. Her brown hair cascaded down her chest as she moved.

"My turn to disappear, huh?" she mused as the doctors ushered her out of her cell. The group walked down the long hallways, muttering quietly to themselves. Susan could only catch a few words here and there between a guard pushing her forward.

"… the surgery…. see how this one reacts… reproductive system… hook her up to the engine."

Eyes widening in shock, Susan stopped in her tracks. The guard shoved her forward.

"Keep moving, Valenti!" he growled, pointing his rifle at her. Susan shook her head and tried to make a break for it. The doctors caught her arms. Her screams echoed through the hallway. What the hell kind of place was this? She could feel the doctor's grips slacking and made a final tug. As soon as she was released from their arms, the guard slipped in front of her. She felt the butt of his gun make contact with her cheek and she fell to the ground. As her vision went dark, she heard the doctors make a final comment.

"Make sure this one gets secured properly."

* * *

Susan's eyes slowly opened and a weak groan escaped her lips. The lights from the room almost blinded her and she reached to cover her eyes only to find her arm was strapped down. Tugging at the restraints, she found all her limbs were tied down. Her jumpsuit was crumbled on a chair and she was dressed in a hospital gown.

"The hell…" she murmured. She felt her lip curl up at the idea that these men had undressed her. Looking around, her eyes finally focused more. The room wasn't very big. It was around the same size as a doctor's office, with a cabinet in the corner containing numerous medical instruments. Looking closer, she noticed blood stains on most of them.

Susan jumped as the door opened. One of the doctors that had escorted her from her cell waltzed in with a clipboard, writing as he approached. She glared at him, ignoring the slight throbbing on the side of her face.

"Well, your vitals look excellent," the doctor said, half to himself. He was a middle-aged man with a bald spot and big glasses. He looked up at her finally. "Says here you were in jail for beating a man to death. No wonder you were brought here, you're crazy like the rest of 'em."

Susan glared at him. "I'm NOT crazy." The doctor ignored her words, marking down more stuff on his clipboard.

"Alright, this will only sting for a little bit," he drawled, walking over to the cabinet. Susan gulped as he picked up a scalpel. "We're going to remove part of your ovaries and hook you up to the Engine, see if you can handle it and stuff." Susan fought at the restraints as he came closer.

"No. No! Get away from me!" she shrieked. The doctor moved her gown up, exposing her lower body. The scalpel was brought inches away from her stomach and Susan closed her eyes. The doctor was just putting the blade to her skin when an alarm sounded. The doctor backed away, frowning. He placed the tool on the table next to her bed.

"What the devil is it now?" he grumbled, leaving the room. Gunshots and distant screams could be heard as the door closed. Susan panted, waiting until he left, and reached for the scalpel. If she could just reach it…

She cursed as her fingers brushed the tool and sent it crashing to the floor. By now, the commotion was closer and the air was beginning to feel colder. Susan began twisting her wrist at the ties. She felt in cutting into her skin, but it was starting to slip through. Something slammed into the door, causing her to jolt forward. Her hand came loose, bleeding from the scrapes. Susan attacked the other restraints. She glanced at the door and could see shadows passing through the frost-pane glass. The alarm blared, but that was now the only sound she could hear. It had become oddly quiet. Susan slid onto the floor, staring at the door. She tiptoed to her jumpsuit and quickly slid it back on. Still she heard nothing. Finally, she grabbed the scalpel. She didn't care what she had to do. She wanted to get out of this place.

Opening the door slowly, Susan peered into the hallway and almost threw up. The walls, the floor, everything was covered in blood and entrails. Bodies littered the floor in pieces. Susan stepped out, gagging at the sight. Other than the horrid scene, the hallway was empty. Then again, she had no idea where she even was. But she didn't want to stay there- not with all the bodies. So, stepping lightly over the pulpy mess, Susan made her way down the hallway. She shivered at the feeling of the stickiness under her feet.

"It's alright, Susie," she muttered. "Just find an exit. There's always an exit."

Turning the corner, the air got colder. She stopped in her tracks and slapped a hand over her mouth. A hazy fog had settled and the outline of a dark being was just visible. It looked distracted by something at its feet. Quietly backing up, Susan felt behind her for a door knob. The creature, whatever the hell it was, wouldn't stay distracted long. She turned the knob and fell backwards into the room. The door slid shut with a click and she stumbled against the wall, shaking. The sharp intake of a breath made her turn her head and she felt dread once she realized she was not alone in the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: I'm trying to stick to the Whistleblower Storyline, but give it my own twist as well. That's why it may seem a bit slow right now. Thank you for reading, as always!**

* * *

The man had what looked like a camcorder in his hand and about the same amount of shock as Susan had. She had her scalpel held up in front of her. They stared at each other for a couple moments before Susan spoke.

"Are you one of those damned doctors?" she growled. The man shook his head.

"Are you one of those crazed patients?" he asked calmly. She shook her head. Both seemed to relax after that. The man approached slowly.

"I'm just looking to get out of here. Name's Waylon. Waylon Park." Waylon reached out a hand.

Susan shook it, smiling. "Susan Valenti." Waylon smiled back. Then he tiptoed to the door and looked out. Once the coast looked clear, he motioned for Susan to follow him.

"I'm not sure how, but all of the patients got out." He whispered back to her. "It's mass murder. I've never seen so many dead bodies."

"Do you know the way out?"

"Yeah. It's back that way. But it's sealed off..." Susan felt cold. She grabbed Waylon's shoulder for support.

"Are there... any other ways out?" Her voice shook as she spoke. She didn't want to die here. Hell, she didn't even belong here! She wanted answers as to why she was brought here, but her first priority was getting out. Waylon took a deep breath.

"There has to be, this place is falling apart. We'll find a way to the first floor. We will." he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than her. Susan followed him as they wandered down the dark hallway. Waylon had the advantage of the night vision on the camera, so he'd warn her if there was something she'd trip over as she followed behind.

They stopped as noise exploded from up ahead.

"Hurry, hurry! They're coming!" a voice called. They heard the stomping of feet and the slamming of a gate before silence returned. Heading to the gate, Waylon shook at the door.

"Locked. Dammit!" he spat. Susan kept watch as he tried to pry the door open. He sighed, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"Alright, I think I know what to do," he said quietly. "I think there should be a radio somewhere that will let up contact the police. All we have to do is get to it."

Susan lifted an eyebrow.

"Stay alive. Avoid the crazies. Get to the radio. Should be a piece of cake."

* * *

One hallway let to another and Susan could feel herself tiring out mentally. Her adrenaline rush has subsided and now she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. Waylon slowed to a stop, looking through his camera.

"There's a guy up there, I'm not sure if he's alive." he spoke quietly. He motioned for Susan to wait and crept over to pass the man. Susan held her breath as he approached. Waylon paused, checking the man over.

"Alright, I think he's-" The man's arms shot up and with a yell he wrestled Waylon to the ground. Susan watched in horror as Waylon struggled to fight off the patient.

"You piece of shit!" the patient growled. He grabbed hold of Waylon's shoulders and began to beat him into the ground. Waylon cried out and his camera slid to the side. He groaned as he tried to push the patient off.

"Piece of shit! Shit!" the patient spat. Waylon made a final shove and knocked the patient to the side. The patient grunted as he hit the ground. He made a motion to get up, but Susan got there first. The scalpel came down in the patient's side and he screamed out.

"Fuckin' bitch!" he screeched. Susan brought the scalpel down again, blood splattering onto her hands and jumpsuit. Waylon, shocked, grabbed her arm and pulled her away. He stooped to grab his camera and together, they ran. The patient's screams grew fainter and fainter. Panting, Waylon finally stopped so they could catch their breaths.

"_Oh God..._" Susan moaned. "_Oh my GOD!"_ Waylon glanced at her and she leaned against the wall, covering her mouth and shaking her head. A wild light danced in her eyes.

"Susan..." Waylon reached out to touch her shoulder. "Susan, it's _alright! _Just calm down, take a deep breath."

Susan gulped down air. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. He was just...you were..."

"I understand," Waylon replied calmly. "I know it's hard, trust me. But you did what you had to." The wild light faded slowly as Susan relaxed. Waylon looked around to make sure they were alone before pulling Susan into the nearest room.

"Look..." he sighed. "We might _have _to kill people to get out of here."

Susan had a bitter expression on her face. "It wouldn't be the first time, then." Waylon's eyes widened. Susan wiped her hands on her pants.

"That's why I was in jail. I...beat a man to death."

"What?!" Waylon backed away slowly. Susan winced.

"In an alley way. He was drunk, see. Beat up my sister. I got...angry and I just wanted to hurt him badly. I don't remember much, but when they found me I was - cradling her body and the guy - he bled to death." She didn't want to mention the sick satisfaction she'd felt stabbing the patient.

Waylon opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a buzz saw echoing through the hallway. It sounded close by and before either of them could react, a shadow appeared on the wall.

"_THERE YOU ARE!" _


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Again, thank you so much for the support. The action finally begins! Susan goes through some character development in this chapter. I might start drawing my favorite scenes from the chapters. Thank you for reading! Please enjoy Chapter 3!**

* * *

Getting chased by a cannibal wielding a buzzsaw was not high on Susan's "FUN THINGS TO DO WHILE LOCKED IN AN ASYLUM" list. The man came running around the corner with the saw high above his head. Waylon and Susan felt glued to the spot.

"Run?"

"Good idea!"

Grabbing her wrist, Waylon bolted down the hallway with Susan stumbling behind him. The cannibal screamed at them, and, to Susan, he seemed to run faster at the sight of his prey. Waylon made a sharp right and kept to the shadows, causing Susan to lose sight of the madman. The sound of the buzzsaw was fading and their panting became the only sound besides the buzz of flickering lights. Sliding to a stop, Waylon crumpled to his knees. Susan leaned against the wall and didn't take her eyes off the hallway they'd come from.

"I don't suppose," Waylon gasped, "You still have that scalpel, huh?" Susan felt around her pockets.

"No...Dammit, I must have dropped it," she growled. "Not like it'd do much good against a _buzzsaw."_

Waylon stood up and looked around.

"I think...If we keep going this way, we can get to the Northern hallway and that leads to the radios. We're getting close." Waylon let a smile spread across his face. "Maybe we caught a break. Maybe we-" The sound of the buzzsaw cut him off as the cannibal came barreling down the hallway.

"Feed me, feed me, _FEED ME!" _he screeched. Susan yelped and started running again. She heard the footsteps farther behind her as she tried to get away. It seemed like she was tripping over everything on the ground, but she scrambled into one of the offices and slammed the door shut. Panting, she closed her eyes.

_God, if I ever get out of here alive, I take back everything I ever thought about you._

Susan opened her eyes and turned her head.

"Waylon, we gotta-" Eyes widening, she frantically looked around the small room. The whole time, she'd thought Waylon was with her! Susan pulled at her hair and felt panic rising in her chest.

_Calm down, Valenti! He couldn't have gotten too far._

Putting her ear to the door, she listened for any movement. Her blood froze at the sound of bare feet slapping on the ground. She stumbled away from the door and slid under the single desk in the corner. The sound passed her door and was gone. She waited, holding her breath, for the door to slam back open. Minutes felt like hours. Eventually, she was satisfied that he was gone and crept back into the hallway. The lights were dimmed in some spots and out in others. Keeping to the shadows, she backtracked the way she'd come. The silence was unsettling and even her heartbeat sounded too loud.

"Keep running! We're almost out!" came a voice up ahead. Susan watched as two doctors scrambled passed her hallway and another door slammed shut. She rushed to the door and pulled at it, grunting with the effort, but it stayed locked. Frustrated, she kicked at the door. Why couldn't any of the doors be unlocked? The light above her head flickered as she sullenly began her search again. Slowly turning the corner, she almost ran straight into the madman.

"_Mine! You are mine!"_ he exclaimed. Susan's hair stood on end as he swung the buzzsaw at her. Ducking, she bolted away from him.

"You need a new hobby!" she panted. Her feet stung from stepping on debris and her legs were beginning to feel like jelly. Worse, she had no idea where she was going. It was almost like this guy was herding her somewhere.

Skidding across the ground, Susan entered in what looked like a locker room. She could hear the cannibal getting closer. His gait had slowed down. Susan closed the door slowly and looked around for an exit. To her dismay, there were no other doors, no vents, nothing. She could feel herself shaking. She didn't want to die. Not now. Not like this. It was a dumb idea, she decided, but it had to be done. Susan opened up the closest locker and jumped in, trying to control her panting breaths.

The dark room lightened up as the door creaked open. Susan bit her lip. She looked through the holes in the locker door and could see the haunting silhouette standing in the doorway. His weapon hung at his side.

Now that she got a better look at him, she felt her stomach heave. The man was completely naked with blood splattered all over his body. His beard was decorated with organic material that Susan couldn't stare at for long.

"_Where are you!?" _the cannibal snarled. He walked closer to her locker and slammed open one a couple feet away. Sneering, he slammed open the next one. Susan stopped breathing. He was getting closer. Three lockers away. _SLAM. _Two lockers. _SLAM. _The locker right next to her. _SLAM. _Then his hand reached for her locker. It hovered above the lock. He was so close that Susan could smell his breath and she was sure he knew she was there. The door slowly began to open and Susan waited with a clenched fist. Maybe if she could catch him off guard-

A sudden crashing from the hallway made the cannibal's head snap away from the locker. He sniffed for a moment and grinned.

"_Think you're soooo clever!"_ he roared. Reving up his buzzsaw, he dashed away and closed the door behind him. Susan was frozen in her spot as her locker door swung open the rest of the way.

"No way..." she muttered. "That's impossible." Stepping out of the locker, she stared bewildered at the closed door. She'd survived? So close to death and she'd caught a lucky break? Her gasping breaths turned into a giggle, then a chuckle, then laughter. Susan hugged her self and laughed. She had no idea why she was laughing. But the laughter was halted when she turned to the side and vomited.

* * *

Waylon's screaming was what finally drew her out of hiding. He didn't sound that far away, and despite the fact her feet were bleeding and her stomach hurt, she made her way to his screams. What could she do against a buzzsaw, honestly? The cannibal had found Waylon and had him lying on a table, from what Susan could see. The entire room looked like a crematorium. She stayed in the corner and watched. Waylon's eyes turned enough that he noticed her. They were almost pleading, but mostly warning her to run away. Susan shook her head. She wasn't going without him. That moment in the locker room seemed to have sapped her of feeling afraid. Now she just felt numb with a headache. The cannibal lowered his buzzsaw towards Waylon's neck as Susan picked up a brick and threw it as far as she could. The clunk drew his attention.

He cocked his head to the side, turned back to Waylon.

"You stay there," he drawled. "_And cook!"_ Waylon yelped as he was pushed into the cremator. The cannibal darted away towards the noise. He left the room and Susan rushed to the closed cremator. She tugged at the lock on the door.

"Waylon! Waylon, can you hear me? Hold on!" The roar of the flames nearly drowned out her voice. She could hear pounding coming from the inside and a crack followed by a grunt.

"Susan?" Waylon called. Susan got the hatch open and peered through. Waylon was crouched on the opposite side, his glasses cracked in one lens. "Susan, thank God! I thought he'd gotten you!"

"How do I get to you?" Susan huffed. She didn't know how to turn the darn oven off and there was no way she could scale the wall. If they waited for the oven to cool, the cannibal would be back.

"Use the vent in the other room. I saw the schematics for the air vents a while back and it should lead somewhere close to the radios. When you get out, keep heading north. I'll meet you there."

"How long will you wait for me?" Waylon frowned. He hadn't thought of that.

"We'll...we'll give each other a half hour." he decided. Susan nodded. Waylon managed a smile. "Should be enough time for us, right?"

Susan brushed her hair out of her eyes and nodded. She winced as Waylon disappeared from her view and stood up. They were almost there. She just had to make it.

Her head jerked back suddenly as a hand pulled her hair from behind. She screamed out in pain. The cannibal! He lowered his buzzsaw slowly towards her exposed neck.

"Time to stop running, little one," he purred in her ear. "It will only sting for a moment."

Susan's breath hitched as the buzz saw came down. Time seemed to slow down. She pulled forward with all her strength and broke from his grip. The buzzsaw passed her neck and cut close to her scalp. She felt the weight of her head lift as the cannibal stumbled backwards. Not stopping to examing anything, Susan ran. She ignored the shards of wood and rock that stabbed at her feet. She ignored the pain in her body or the roar of the cannibal behind her. All she saw was the vent in the other room. Susan jumped for it and pulled herself up. She felt the whiff of air pass her foot as the cannibal made a last grab at her. He screamed in frustration and cursed at her.

She crawled away from him and when she got far enough away, she felt at her hair. The buzzsaw had made uneven cuts. Some parts were still longer than others, some were close to her scalp. She felt some blood on the back of her head, but it was small. Her thick hair must have softened the blow. Turning back to the lightened end, she couldn't help but grin. She'd escaped once again. Her head ached, but she smiled widely.

"Fuck you, motherfucker!" she grinned. Her smile only slid off her face when the buzzsaw cut against the metal and sent sparks flying. She squeaked and stumbled away from the shower, into the darkness with the anguished cries of a madman filling the void.


End file.
